Machine and process for annealing tubes



Sept. 4, 1934.

' A. J. MASON ET AL MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR ANNEALING TUBES I Filed Feb. 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 4, 1934. A. J. MASON El AL IACHINE AND PROCESS FOR ANNEALING TUBES Filed Feb.

2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Patented Sept. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR ANNEALING TUBES Arthur J. Mason, we Hartford, and'William L. Tancred, Hartford, Conn., assignors to The Bush Manufacturing Company,

Hartford,

the annealing shall be confined to certain prede termined points in the lengths of the tubes; another object is to provide a machine of this type in which the security of radiating fins attached to the tubes shall not be disturbed, and a still further object of our invention is to provide a machine of this type in the use of which rapidity of operation and efi'ectiveness in results are obtained.

One form of our improved machine embodying our invention and in the manufacture, use and sale of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, and in the operation of which the process herein described may be carried out is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of a portion of our improved annealing machine with the center portion broken away and with the apron in the cooling tank omitted.

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is an end view.

Figure 4 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view in section, scale enlarged,'on

a plane denoted by the dotted line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a similar View on a plane denoted by the dotted line 6-6 of Figure 1, the showing of parts beyond being omitted.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral '7 denotes a table that may be supported in any suitable manner, as upon legs 8. A' tank 9 on the table '7 is for a cooling liquid, to receive the tubes after they have been heated'in the annealing operation, and a bench. 10 is supported as by brackets 11 on the front wall of the tank.

Tube holding clamps are supported on the bench 10 at such distance apart as to receive and hold the opposite ends of tubes 12 having radiating plates or fins 13 secured thereto. These fins are, in the particular arrangement for which this machine is adapted to operate upon, disposed in series 14 with spaces 15 between the series, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

for holding the tubes comprises a clamp block 16 seated upon one end of a conductor 17 mounted on the bench 10 and extending across the bench, around its edge, and depending thereunder, and

as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6 of the drawings.

In the apparatus illustrated each of the clamps A clamping lever 18 is pivotally supported on each of the blocks 16, as by means of a bolt that secures the lever, block and conductor together,

a spring 19 located between a nut on the end of the bolt and the lever pressing the latter toward the block 16. Each block may be recessed to receive the end of a tube as a means for firmly securing said tube in place.

A conductor strip 20 is supported underneath the front end of the bench as by means of brackets 21 secured to the under side of the bench at suitable intervals apart. Said strip is secured to one of the conductors 17 as by means of clamp plates 22 on opposite sides of the strip and conductor acting to clamp the conductor. and strip firmly together, as shown in Figure l of the drawings. By loosening the nuts on the bolts that secure said plates the conductors 1'7 may be placed in any desired position along the strip 20 to enable the clamp mountedon said conductor to receive tubes of different lengths.

A conducting cable 23 with its terminal 24; is secured to the strip 20 as by means of a bolt and nut, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and a cable 25 with its terminal 26 is secured to one of the conductors 17, that is, the conductor located opposite that secured to the strip 20. The ends of each cable are separated, each of the separated parts having a terminal secured thereto, the two terminals for each cablebeing placed on opposite sides of the conductors 17 or strip 20 and se= curely fastened thereto as by means of screws and nutsas shown in Figure 3. of the drawings.

The tube clamp at one end of the bench 10 is movably mounted as by means of rollers 27 rotatably supported in a yoke 28 projecting through an opening '29 in the bench and secured to the upper side of the bench as by means of'screws inserted through flanges 30 into the bench. A clamp supporting bar 31 is secured. in any suitable, manner to the conductor'l'I at this end of the bench and cleats 32 secured to'the under side of said bar receive the opposite ends of a clamp supporting rod 33, said rod passing between the members of each pair of rollers which are thus arranged, and as shown in Figure 5. By means of this arrangement the clamp is freely movable to permit expansion and contraction of tubes caused by heating conditions thereof in the operation of the machine.

The cables 23 and 25 are suitably connected with the terminal wires of a transformer 34, one of which wires is preferably equipped with a switch 35, and as shown in Figure 2. This transformer is connected with the main wires 36 of an ioo its

iio

ferent sections are placed in parallel relation. The plates are secured in place by expandingthe It there fore becomes essential that the tubes shall'be tubes into tight contact with the plates.

heated for annealing purposes only at the spaces 15 at which they'are bent, as if they are heated V in the sections occupied by the fins the latter will become loosened. The apparatus herein illusplacing radiating fins upon a length of tubing,

trated and described successfully accomplishes this purpose. A tube is placed in position and the levers 18 are swung to clamp'and secure the opposite ends of the tube. The switch nowbeing closed the tube at the spaces 15 will be quickly heated to a proper degree, but owing to the presence of the fins and their radiating action on the tubes the places occupied by such fins will not become objectionably heated. As soon as the tubes are properly heated the switch 35 is opened, the levers 18 are operated to release the ends of the tubes and the latter re pushed from the blocks 16 into the tank 9 that contains a suitable liquid for cooling the tubes. An apron 37 within .the tank guides the tubes to a carrier comprising sprocket chains 38 passing around sprockets located within the tank and secured to a shaft 39 therein. The chains are provided with fingers 40 that receive the tubes and convey them out of the tank and over sprockets and a shaft secured abovethe tank and as shown in Figure 3. From the fingers the tubes fall onto an apron 41. The carrier may be driven in any suitable manner and it will be understood that it moves slowly enough to retain the tubes in the cooling bath sufiiciently long to enable them to be properly cooled.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes we have described the principles of operation of our invention together with the device which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but we desire to have it understood that the device. shown is only illustrative and that the invention'may becarried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

We'cla'im:

1'.' The process for annealing that consists in placing radiating. fins upon 'a length of tubing with intervals betweenth'e fins to effect a more rapid heating at said intervals, th'a'n'at the portions occupied by the fins, then applying heat uniformly to the tube at a part occupied by the fins and also at a part comprising aninterval, then promptly cutting off the heat when the last mentioned part is heated to the desired annealing temperature and before the first mentioned part is so heated, and finally cooling the tubing.

2. The process for annealing that consists in placing radiating fins in series upon a length of tubing with greater intervals between the series than between the fins in the series to effect a more rapid heating at said intervals than at the portions occupied by the fins, then applying .heat substantially uniformly to the whole length of the tube, then promptly cutting off the heat when the parts at the intervals are heated to the desired annealing temperature and before the parts occupied by the fins are so heated, and finally cooling the'tubing.

3. The process for annealing that consists in with intervalsbetween the fins to effect a more rapid heating at said intervals than at the portions occupied by the fins, then placing said tubing to form a portion of an electric circuit, then admitting current to said circuit, then promptly shutting oif the current when the portions of the tube at the intervals are he'atedto the desired annealing temperature and before the parts occupiedby said fins are so heated, and finally cooling the tubing. I

4:. A process for heat treating metal stock which consists in placing radiating fins upon a length of said stock with intervals between the fins to effect a more rapid heating at said intervals than at the portions occupied by the fins, then applying heat uniformly to all parts of the stock, and then promptly cutting off the heat when the stock at the intervals reachesa predetermined temperature and before the stock at the portions having fins reaches said temperature.

5. A process for heat treating metal tubing which consists in placing radiating fins in several series upon a length of tubing with greater intervals between the seriesthan between the fins in the series to effect a more rapid heating at said intervals than at the portions occupied by the fins, then applying heat substantially uniformly to the entire length of the tubing, and then promptly cutting off the heatv when the parts at the intervals are heated to a desired. predetermined temperature and. before the parts occupied by the fins areso heated.

6.-A process for heat treating metal tubing which consists in-placing radiating finsflupon a length of tubing withintervals between the fins toeffect a more rapid-heating at said intervals than at the portions occupied by the fins, then pl'acingsaid tubing to form a portion of an electric circuit, then applying current to said :circuit', and then promptly shutting oif the current when the portions of the tubing at said intervals are heated to a desired predetermined temperature and beforethe parts. occupiedby, the fins are so heated. V f

ARTHUR J. MASON.)

" WILLIAM 'L. TANCRED. 

